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Compass H om e
SUNSHINE WORKOUT
Homeowners with children or grandchildren have been incorporating outdoor play areas into their
backyards for decades. Jump aboard the sports & fitness theme this month with the entire family while
reaping the benefits of being more active.
TEXT BY SANDY LINDSEY
THE START
Moving the adult’s exercise
area outside not only allows
us to fill our lungs with fresh
air and enjoy our year-round
near-perfect weather, being
in The Great Outdoors has
been shown to boost mood
and leads to more productive
workouts. It also has the
added benefit of freeing up the
space inside the house that
was previously dedicated to a
home gym or pieces of workout
equipment. Who can say no to
more interior space?
28 SAFE HAVEN
If you have an available
covered space on your
patio, deck or gazebo, that’s
excellent. The rest of us will
have to decide whether to
build such a structure, a not
inexpensive proposition, or
— this is the most common
option — go with a portable
or permanent shade structure.
If you opt to go with an
uncovered or otherwise not
fully protected area, you’ll
want to cover the equipment
between use to protect it from
the elements and keep it clean.
SKY’S THE LIMIT
There are many more options
for an outdoor gym than one
would imagine —whether
you’re looking to lift weights,
burn calories on a step climber,
exercise bike or treadmill, or
create your own compact
“fitness trail” with stationary
exercise and pull-up bars, and
other park-quality equipment.
Limited space need not be
a deterrent, just store your
free weights, folding exercise
machines, yoga mats, etc.,
inside when not in use.
UNDER FOOT
Before setting the first piece
of equipment in place, look at
what you’re setting it onto.
Non-slip flooring is essential.
You don’t want to step off
the treadmill onto a slick tile
surface damp from rain or
sprinkler system overspray. If
you’re building a new patio,
go with rough surface paving
stones. Other options include
rubber mulch, outdoor-rated
rubber mats, or an awesome
custom-built rubber playground
surface. Into yoga or tai chi?
Consider a natural wood deck.